Who Stole Columbo From my Hotel Room?
by AmazonnessRyoga
Summary: Join Shorty as she searchs everyone from Bust A Groove 2 in order to find her missing pet Columbo. Who could possibly have a motive to steal him right out of the hotel room?! Find out!!!


Hello all you bust-A-groove fans.This is my first attempt at a fic like this one.I'm not saying that the b-A-g characters don't have personalities, but for the most part I get to make them up!So, I hope I don't screw up your favorite character too bad!!!Hehe, I'm just kidding, I think I'll do a pretty good job!

"Oh no!" Shorty screeched, shaking the whole hotel, and vibrating every object in sight.Gasping, she jumped out of bed, staring at the pillow her lovely little Columbo had been lying on, his outline still remaining like a painful reminder of how missing he was.

"Columbo knows if he wants to go somewhere he has to wake me up first!"Shorty said as she began searching her hotel room high and low, without finding her precious pet.In one ear-piercing, world-shaking, shriek she yelled,

"Who Stole Columbo From my Hotel Room!?"

Shorty sat on the floor in a little heap, sobbing.Comet was the first to reach her room.Banging on the door, Comet yelled, asking if Shorty was all right.Shakily and unsteady, Shorty stood up and opened the door for Comet.

Comet rolled in and knelt to Shorty's level."What's the matter?" she asked, genuine care in her eyes.

"Columbo," she answered, bottom lip quivering uncontrollably."He's gone!"She pointed to the pillow with Columbo's outline, tears still falling out of her red eyes.

"Don't worry, sweetie, we'll find Columbo," Comet reassured the little girl, patting her on the shoulder."Let's look for him after breakfast, ok?I'll make you something to eat."She pulled her magic wand from somewhere behind her back.

"You…" Shorty said, rage filling her soul."I bet you used your power and turned him into a squid!" Shorty stood up and pressed herself up against the wall trying to get as far away from Comet as possible."You ate my Columbo!"

"You know that's not true!" Comet yelled back at the hysterical girl.Shorty shielded herself with her bare, skinny arms, shaking with anger and fear."Fine, believe what you will," Comet grinned."At least I know it's not true."

With that, she walked out of Shorty's room, slamming the door behind her.Shorty wiped her eyes and sighed, realizing she was probably wrong.Comet was a bit strange, the kind of person who would keep a naked man tied to her bed all night, but not really the kind that would steal Columbo and eat him.

Sighing again, she went to her suitcase and picked out today's outfit, a long sleeved black shirt with an 'S' printed on it, and loose black capries, and slid into the bathroom.Taking a hot shower and then getting dressed and then fixing her hair took her about 10 minutes.She emerged from the bathroom a whole new person, ready to interrogate the entire bust-A-groove dance competitors.She must find who stole Columbo quick.Without her best friend, she lacked the confidence she needed to dance!

She opened the hotel door and peered out into the hallway.She knew the sponsors of the competition had rented the whole 3rd floor of the hotel, and a competitor and potential suspect lay behind each door.The numbers on the doors spanned from 109-120.Shorty had her work cut out for her.

She exited room 116 and walked to room109 wondering who would answer the door when she knocked.Lifting up a sleeved arm she knocked on the door three times.

Heat answered the door groggily.He looked and saw no one until he moved his head downward and saw short little Shorty standing in the doorway."Shorty?What time is it?" he asked, opening the door enough for Shorty to make her way in.His room was dark, and he stood in his plaid boxers and wife beater, rubbing his eyes.His flame colored hair was going in every different direction on his head.

Shorty pounced him, knocking him over.She slammed the door with her foot and pulled a flash light out of one of her large pockets.She shined the light directly in his unsuspecting face, and yelled, "It's time for you to talk!What do you know about my Columbo?"

"You mean that damn rat thing you carry on your head?" He asked squinting his eyes against the bright light."Can you get off of me?"

"Not until you answer my question," Shorty whispered dryly, never taking the flashlight out of his face."Now talk! You set him on fire, didn't you!You want to be a racecar driver so bad you set my little Columbo on fire!I figured you out!"

"When did you find Columbo was missing?" Heat grumbled, obviously very tired.

"When I woke up," Shorty mumbled, it was hard to ask people questions about her missing friend."My daddy gave him to me as a present and I want him back!"

Heat lifted Shorty up easily and opened the door.Holding on to her small body she began to hit him with her little fists and struggled to get away, but it was no use, he was just too strong for her.

"If you give me a picture of him, me and you can make wanted ads for him later ok?" Heat slammed the door and returned to his bed, yawning.Shorty kicked the ground with her shoe and walked to the next room.

_What kind of criminal offers to make wanted posters?_Shorty thought to herself._Ok, now I can take two people of my list of suspects._Walking to room 110 she knocked three times.

Tsutomu opened the door, surprised to have a visitor.He was fully dressed in his usual dorky outfit, obviously practicing his moves.He held his green maracas in his hands and he was breathing hard.Tsutomu was the last person Shorty felt like seeing this early in the morning…but he did have the perfect motive.

"Listen Tsutomu," Shorty said opening the door with her long sleeves, pushing past the little boy and inviting herself in."I know me and you have never gotten along, but I'm willing to put that past us.Just give me my Columbo back!"

"Why would I have your lame Columbo?" Tsutomu asked in his I'm-So-Much-Better-Than-You voice.

"Because I'm the only other kid here and you desperately want to beat me.You know I can't dance without Columbo by my side!"

"I don't have your rat but now that you put it that way I wish I would have thought about taking it before someone else could," he smacked himself in the head and repeated every time he hit himself, "You should have thought of it."

"Ok," Shorty stared at the weird display of human behavior. "I'm going to…leave now."She ran out of the room, slamming the door quickly behind her."That was too weird!Oh well, he's pretty mad at himself for not thinking of the crime that has been committed.I guess I can scratch his name from my list."

She pulled her sleeve down and ran her fingers through the little ponytails that covered her head.Sighing, she knocked on room 111's door, praying she would find some clue of Columbo in this room.

She looked down, trying to hide the tears that were threatening to fall from her large eyes, not even noticing the door had been opened.

"Good morning young lady," a British accent greeted her warmly.Looking up quickly she smiled and ran to Bi-O, arms opened.She grabbed on to his waist and he patted her head happily."What brings you to me this fine morning?"

Shorty let go of Bi-O's waist, she was glad to be in the company of someone she knew loved her.His son Gas-O had hurt him once before, and now he was in jail.To Bi-O, Shorty was the loving child he never had.To Shorty, Bi-O was the father that was never around, once she got used to the smell of rotting flesh.

"Columbo's missing!" She wailed to Bi-O."Now I'm asking all the other dancers if they know anything about it.I've ruled out Comet, Heat, Tsutomu, and I know you'd never do it!Do you know anything about it?"

"Let's talk over tea," Bi-O said moving to the little kitchenette, preparing the usual for him and Shorty.She sat at the small table and waited to be served.Once the tea was finished warming up Bi-O dug through the small refrigerator the hotel provided them with.Placing everything on a tray he walked to Shorty and set a teacup in front of her.He opened a can of Coca-cola and poured it into her cup.He placed a cherry in the cup and poured steaming tea for himself.He sat down, slurped his tea and let Shorty speak.

"Thank you," Shorty said drinking the soda slowly."I can't find Columbo and I'm politely asking the others if they know anything about it, but no one does.I don't think Comet, Heat, or Tsutomu took him.I know you didn't either!Do you know who would want to do something this horrible?"

Bi-O scratched at the ax lodged in his head while Shorty finished the soda and ate the cherry."Do help yourself," Bi-O said pointing to the cans soda and jar cherries, concentration still written on his features.Shorty snatched up the jar of cherries, pulled her huge, black sleeves back and opened the jar.As Bi-O sat thinking of possible wrongdoers, Shorty threw cherries into her mouth, munching on the soft, sweet fruit.

"You say you've already ruled out Tsutomu?" he asked placing his hand on the bone that was called his leg and drank some more tea.

"Yesh," she answered through a mouthful of cherries.

"He's the only one I can think of.The boy can be a jackass," he muttered bluntly.

"Yesh," she nodded her head in agreement.Swallowing the cherries she stood up from the table."I'm sorry to have to cut our tea break short, but I have to look for Columbo some more."

Bi-O stood up from the table and escorted Shorty to the door."Please don't make it too long before you come and visit me again.I want to see you some time before the competition."

"I promise," Shorty said giving Bi-O a goodbye hug.She ran out of the room and knocked on the door to room 112."And behind door number 112 we have…" Shorty said in her broadcaster's voice.

She door slowly opened revealing the beautiful girl behind it."Kitty-N!!!" Shorty finished her broadcast.

"Come in," Kitty-N purred opening the door.She wore a beautiful pink robe, with her green hair up in curlers."Please hold on one moment."

She picked up her pink cell phone and talked quietly to the person on the other side.Trying not to eavesdrop, Shorty focused her attention to the TV that was on, playing none other than the show Kitty-N starred it, Litterbox Warriors 5.

"Can I help you with something?" she asked after she hung up the phone with the push of a white button that meowed.Her voice was high pitched, but somehow calm.She was tall and beautiful standing in her pink robe, white slippers cat slippers covered her feet.

"I know you like being a cat…" Shorty started placing a hand on top of her heart."But don't you think attacking Columbo is going to far?"

"Attack Columbo?" Kitty-N questioned, cocking her eyebrow."I would never do such a thing!"

"You know your cat instincts caught up with you and you had to catch something, so you thought…'hmm why not that over grown mouse Columbo?'"Shorty pointed her finger at Kitty-N."Show him to me now!He might still be able to be saved!"

Kitty-N shook her head slowly and removed her head covering, revealing her true features.She looked like a normal 16-year-old in fuzzy slippers."I like to cosplay, but I don't take it that seriously!" She pointed to the bathroom."See I don't actually use a litter box!" She pointed to her table, "And I use forks and spoons when I eat!I would never harm your pet."

"Ok, I guess I'll go now," Shorty said, disappointed.She really wanted to find her best friend soon!She walked out of Kitty-N's room, whispered an apology, and walked quickly to the next room on her list.

She knocked on the door, heard a female groan from inside and the door opened enough for Shorty to see Comet's face peering out."Shorty?" she whispered quickly.

"Oh sorry Comet, I was just seeing if anyone knew anything about Columbo."

"Still haven't found him?" Comet whispered.

"Yeah, and look…I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions.I didn't really think you would eat Columbo…"

"Apology accepted," Comet lowered her voice."I really have to go," she peered behind her towards the bed and a muffled cry could be heard from that area."See ya."Comet shut the door quickly behind her, leaving Shorty standing there, alone.From inside the door she could hear Comet yell, "Tell me why I'm so pretty dammit!"

Shorty ran away quickly, not needing to hear anymore.She knocked on door number 114, hoping this one would lead her to her beloved Columbo.

"Whazzup?" A familiar voice called from behind the door.

"Strike?" Shorty asked making sure she knew whom she was talking too.

"Huh?" Strike answered in his slow, sweet, deep voice."Who's dat?" 

"Ummm, it's me, Shorty, can I talk to you?"

"Yeah," he answered, unlocking the deadbolt on his door and opening it glancing in both directions.Ever since he escaped from jail for a crime he was innocent of anyway, he had become really paranoid.He was now the type who would look back to make sure no body was following him.

Shorty made her way into Strike's room and pounced him the same way she had done to Heat.She knew unless she took action, he would never talk, that's just the way boys were.She ran into Strike, but she was the one to be knocked over this time.Strike was just to buff to knock over.

"What did you do to my shoulder?" she howled in pain, holding her right shoulder with her left hand. 

"Did I hurt ya?" Strike asked bending over to Shorty.Catching him by surprise Shorty tackled his legs, knocking him over, shaking the whole 3rd floor of the hotel.

She jumped on his chest and reached for her flashlight, the only means of torture she could possibly think of putting her friends through.She turned it on, and the light sputtered and went out.Smiling and throwing the flashlight over her shoulder she muttered, "Let's just get to the point shall we?"

"What the fuck are ya doin'?" Strike asked bewildered by the little girl's actions.

She pulled a magnifying glass out of her huge pocket and inspected his fingertips while proceeding to tell him about Columbo.

"You see I woke up this morning, and my beloved Columbo was missing," she turned his fingers over in her hand before dropping it and putting the magnifying glass back into her pocket."Unfortunately, my dear Strike, you have the perfect motive."

"I do?!" he asked.

"You see," she explained, never moving off his broad chest the whole time."You must acquire the Groove-tron in order to clear your criminal record, for a crime you were innocent of.You know if you stole Columbo you would have a better chance of getting the Groove-tron.Am I right?"

"I guess ya write 'bout the whole Groove-tron thing.But I'm innocent of the crime they put me in jail for.I'm not a criminal, and you're jumping to conclusions cuz of my record.I didn't realize you were that way Shorty."

"I'm not!" Shorty said jumping off of his chest."I just thought you were guilty of THIS crime."

"Well, I'm as innocent as the damned day I was born," Strike confessed holding his right hand over his heart.Shorty pulled the magnifying glass out of her pocket and held it to her eye as she marched out of his room, still looking for clues of foul play.

Turning around she smiled with the magnifying glass on her eye and said, "If you hear anything, let me know."

Strike closed the door and locked it.He sighed and went back to practicing his dance moves.Shorty sat in the middle of the hall and held her breath, trying not to cry.Despite how hard she was trying there was still no sign of Columbo.And worse, she had accused all of her friends of kidnapping him.She felt horrible inside and she wiped the many tears that were falling from her face with her huge sleeves.

From inside room 115, disco music could be heard, and so could girls' screams._Hiro's at it now?It's still pretty early.Hiro should…that's it…HIRO!!!_

Without knocking, Shorty entered Hiro's room.He had a mini disco ball hanging from the ceiling and many girls were crowded in the small room.Hiro was in the middle of them, dancing like there was no tomorrow.

Shorty somehow made her way to the stereo and turned it off with one quick motion of her hand."Hiro-kun!" she screamed, imitating his fans."A word with you for a moment."

In the crowd you could hear whispers of jealously and envy as Shorty walked away with the man they all wanted desperately.One of the girls scratched past the crowd and sat where Hiro had been dancing."I'm sitting where Hiro-kun was standing!" she screeched excitedly.The whole mob tore at each other to get to the spot where the lucky girl was.

"What's up?" he asked Shorty when they were alone, pulling out a mirror and examining himself, fluffing up his hair again.

"I remembered you saying something about Columbo being a 'groovy little guy that would be the coolest to take to a disco'.Did you take Columbo?Please tell me you did!"

"Yeah, Columbo would be pretty groovy to dance with, but what about my reputation?My perfect…beautiful…wonderful…reputation," quickly he pulled he mirror away from his face."I wouldn't want to be seen with a mouse-thing.The girls…they want to see me…" He put the mirror back in front of his face again.

"Oh ok," Shorty whispered lightly walking to the door, disappointed once again."I'll go now.See ya at practice sometime."

"Yeah." Was all Hiro had a chance to say before the girls began diving for him piercing wails coming from every direction.

Shorty walked of Hiro's room and kicked the wall.Her sneakered foot, bounced off easily, the shoe was rubbery enough.Realizing the next room was hers, she felt her spirits begin to lift again._Only four more rooms to check out!!!Yeah, I'll have my little Columbo back in no time!_

She ran to room number 117 and knocked wondering whom she would see next.The door opened slowly, only to reveal a tall skinny panda with a flower sprouting from his head.Shorty's jaw dropped.She tried to snap herself out of shock and stuttered to the mysterious panda, "W-who are you?!"

"I am," he said in a bizarre voice."Pander."With his name he posed his hands strangely and looked at Shorty.

"I'm going to go now," Shorty said, running away from the door.

"See you," he said pointing at her, "in the finals."He winked and closed the door behind him.

Shorty's eye began twitching and she rubbed it with her fist, wondering how long she had been staying directly across from that guy, she had never seen him before, or heard his name on the list of bust-A-groove finalists. 

She shrugged and knocked on the next door.Room 118.The door opened and one of the Capoeira aliens stood before her."Greetings earthling," it said in a monotone alien voice.It reached its hand out and unsure of what else to do Shorty reached out her hand also.Before their hands could meet the other alien came running and punched the first in the head.

"What did you do that for?!" the first one yelled.

"How many times have I told you to drop that typical alien act?"

"You never told me not to!" The first one complained, crossing its arms across its chest.

"You know I have!" the second responded swinging its fist at the first's stomach.It dodged and poked the other one's large eyes with its long fingers."Owwwww!I hate you!"

By this time Shorty almost forgot about her search for Columbo.She was completely intrigued with their odd behavior.Capoeira had never acted in such a way at the competitions, or even at the practices.She had never even hear one of them speak a word, always assuming they didn't speak any language known to man-kind, and here they were, arguing and fighting each other.

"Sorry about that," the second apologized once it had the first on the ground."My name is LaLa, and that's KiKi." 

"Hi, I'm…" Shorty could not finish her introduction because KiKi cut her off.

"You're Shorty.We know about you.More then you know about yourself.As a matter of fact we gave Columbo an anal probe last night."

"Really?!That's great!" Shorty said jumping up and down.

"KiKi's a liar," LaLa explained."You take being a foreigner to this planet a little to seriously." She yelled kicking the silver alien between the ribs.

"But did you see her face light up when I said 'anal probe'?She was like a child at Christmas," KiKi replied, voice raspy from the kick.

"No, it wasn't the anal probe that made me happy," Shorty explained to the crazy aliens."It was the fact that you said you had Columbo.Do you know where he is?"

"See? Now look what you've done!You've raised her hopes!!!" LaLa turned to face Shorty."No I'm sorry, we haven't seen you darling Columbo."

"Columbo's close!I can feel it LaLa!" KiKi stood up and took Shorty's hand excitedly, bouncing up and down."I feel Columbo…very close." The alien tried to catch its breath.

"Don't go making up things and raising her hopes!" LaLa yelled swinging a fist at KiKi's large head.KiKi dodged and tackled LaLa.

"I'm not making it up this time!You never believe anything I say!" KiKi punched the other alien across the face and ran to Shorty, once more taking her hands."Believe."

With Kiki's last words, it shut the door and yelling between the aliens could be heard through the closed doors.Shorty shook her head in amazement, learning now why you should never judge a book by its cover.

_Very close…_Shorty thought to herself and ran to the next door.She raised her hand to knock on the door of room 119, but she could hear music softly playing and smell cigars coming through.

She put her ear closer to the door; she quickly recognized the music playing as"Moonlight Party".It was Kelly's room.Inside the room, Kelly could be heard giggling softly.Shorty shuttered, and the smell of the cigars nauseated her.Kelly was probably in that room with a poor businessman strapped to a chair, and she's stolen his outfit._I can just imagine her coming to dance practice in dressed up as a businessman with a cane and a mustache and everything._

Deciding not to interrupt Kelly's little game, Shorty prayed for the safety of the man inside the room._God, please let him come out with his clothes still on his body.Amen._

Shorty prepared herself and knocked on the door.Room 120.The last room.If Columbo was not here then…Shorty stopped her mind from thinking about what she would do if Columbo was not in this room.

Robo-Z opened the door, mechanical in all its movements."Hello, Shorty."It said in a hollow, empty voice.

"Robo-Z, you're small!" Shorty entered the room staring in wonder."Well, still bigger then me! But, smaller than usual!"

"Correct.I have two settings, one being large and the other being normal human size.I have been created this way to distract dancers that are possible threats." 

"Will you still dance on the streets the way you did last time?"Shorty asked.

"That cannot be revealed at the moment."

Shorty blushed slightly and then snapped back, "Where did you bring Columbo?"

"Restate." Robo-Z said bluntly.

"Don't play stupid, no one else has seen Columbo!You thief!You took Columbo and I'm here to get him back."

"I have not been programmed to do such things."

"Really?Are you sure?" Shorty asked on the verge of tears.

"Affirmative."

Shorty place her hand on Robo-Z's steely arm and sighed."I'll leave you alone then.Goodbye."

Robo-Z's mechanical movement's closed the door, closing the door to Shorty's last hopes as well.

"I've talked to everyone.No one has a motive.All my suspicions have been aimed towards the wrong people.What am I going to do?"Shorty collapsed, face buried in her long sleeves."WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?!"

Her yell echoed through the hall meeting her ears several times before fading, and disappearing. The door to Kelly's room rattled opened and Kelly's head followed by thick, gray cigar smoke came out of the room and she searched through the halls for someone to yell at.

"Could you please be quiet?Can't you see I'm busy?" she yelled, but it came out as a sexy whisper instead."Oh it's you Shorty."Kelly looked flustered in seeing Shorty."I'm just going to leave you to yourself now babe."

Shorty ran to the door, and pushed past Kelly.Inhaling a lungful of smoke Shorty began coughing, but she didn't care.Kelly seemed incredibly suspicious, and she was going to get to the bottom of it."Kelly, where's Columbo?"Shorty demanded, trying to keep her voice steady, despite what the smoke was doing to her throat.

The room was completely dark except the lit cigar, coming from someone's mouth on the bed.Shorty searched for a light, desperate to talk to anyone who might know anything.

"Shorty, don't!" Kelly pleaded, trying to stop Shorty from finding a light switch.But Kelly's pleads where ignored, and Shorty turned the light on and gasped.Columbo was sitting on a pillow on Kelly's bed, smoking a cigar that was almost twice the size of him.

"Columbo!What are you doing here?"Shorty picked the little mouse up from the bed and threw the cigar at Kelly."What were you doing with Columbo?"

Kelly threw her long blonde her hair behind her shoulders and shrugged.Shorty inspected the room suspiciously and found teddy bears and stuffed animals all around the room.

"Still going for the whole baby act thing, huh Kelly?" Shorty asked glaring at the latex baby suit hanging in the corner. 

"Not all the time," Kelly pouted crossing her arms and placing a pacifier in her mouth despite the fact she was wearing a police uniform.

"Uh, that's not very penal code Kelly," Shorty mumbled.Kelly spit out the pacifier and grabbed her police club.

"Better?" She asked in her sexy whispering voice.

"Yeah, I'm going to go now…with Columbo…and…yeah, we're going now."

Shorty walked out of the smoke infested room, holding on tightly to her precious pet.Kelly stood at the door and waved to Columbo.

"Shorty," she called, fingers playing in her wild blonde hair."I'm sorry about stealing Columbo…"she sighed and added in a high pitched voice, "he's just so fuzzy!"

"Right," Shorty said cocking her eyebrow at the mysterious blonde.Kelly shut the door, leaving Shorty alone in the hall with Columbo."I'll never figure that woman out and I don't think anyone ever will."

Columbo squeaked and shrugged his shoulders.Shorty held on to the fuzzy creature as she walked back to her hotel room, and told him about all the crazy things she saw that morning looking for him…

Pretty crazy huh?Oh well I hope you liked it.Cuz if you hated it then I was a big waste of time for me to type it!I liked it!Please tell me how you feel though and write a review.Until next time!

Amazonness Ryoga

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